Electric fire-alarm and police-signal box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. E. PAYNTE-R & W. H. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC FIRE ALARM AND POLICE SIGNAL BOX.

No. 533,490. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. E. PAYNTER & W. H THOMPSON. ELECTRIC FIRE ALARM AND POLICE SIGNAL BOX.

No. 533,490. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

(No Model.)

UNlTED STATES PATENT Erica,

GEORGE EDW'ARD PAYNTER AND l VILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC FIRE-ALARM AND POLICE-SIGNAL BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,490, dated February 5, 1895.

Application filed May 4, 1894- Serial No. 510,091. (No model.)

To osZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE EDWARD PAYNTER and WILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Fire-Alarm and Police-Signal Boxes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention relates to electric fire-alarm signal boxes, and other mechanism of similar type in which a series including any number of individual signal transmitters is arranged upon the same electric circuit, each mechanism being differentiated to transmit an individual signal to a common center, this transmission being effected by automatic devices which are driven by suitable means, when released.

It is the purpose of our invention to provide simple and novel meanswhereby the releasing lever shall be normally locked and rendered incapable of movement, and to combine therewith a releasing device adapted to be operated by the simple insertion in the door of the box of the key by whichthe lock is operated.

It is a further purpose of our invention to combine with a locking device of the type referred to, electrically operated means whereby the locking device shall be maintained, if the main line is in condition for use, in the position to which it is moved by the insertion of the key, thereby enabling the releasing 1ever to be operated, when the door is opened, and a signal or a series of signals, transmitted to the central station; the arrangement being such, however, that if the line is occupied, or busy, the electrical devices will be inoperative and permit the locking device to i e-engage the releasing lever, thus preventing an interference with the signal-transmitting mechanism of another box on the same circuit.

Our invention also has, for its purpose, the improvement and simplification of mechanism of this type, whereby we are able to dispense with the non interference magnets heretofore in extensive use, the construction and operation of the mechanism being materially simplified thereby and the cost of the same reduced.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fullydescribed and then more particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which follow this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to which our said-invention pertains to fully understand, and to make, construct and use the same, we will describe said invention in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1. is a front elevation showing the interior mechanism of an electric fire'alarm signal box, the outer and inner doors of the same being thrown open. Fig. 2. is a detail perspective view, showing the releasing-lever, its locking device, and the retracting bar operated by the key, said parts being arranged in their proper relative position. Fig. 3. is a detail section taken in avertical plane through the two doors of the box at the point where the key-hole. is placed, showing the retracting device in its relations to the lock, the key, and the heel of the retracting lever. Fig. 4. is a detail view, showing a slight modification.

It is unnecessary to describe specifically, in this application, the signal transmitting mechanism. One of the types now in common use is shown in Fig. 1. of the accompanying drawings and is familiar to all those skilled in the art. It consists essentially of a circuit breaking Wheel, driven by a train of gearing under the impulse of acoiled spring, the train being setin motion upon the removal of a detent-block from a notch in the periphery of a disk on the main shaft. This release of the train of gearing is effected by a lever, the end of which projects through a slot in the inner door, so thatit may be pulled by the operator, its action being such as to.

and a non-interference magnet isprovided, its armature being mounted on a lever so ar ranged that when said magnet is in circuit, the end of said lever is thrown, by the attraction of the armature, over a stud upon the end of the jointed lever which carries the detent-block upon its other part, thus holding the end in such manner that the pull of the releasing lever will flex the locking lever at its joint and raise the detent-block; whereas, at other times the spring-retracted armature lever being drawn away from the stud, the pull of the releasing lever can only raise the end of the jointed locking lever, that portion of the latter which carries the detent-block being normally held down by a spring. The remaining portions of the mechanism are so familiar as to require no description.

The reference numeral 1, in said drawings, indicates the box, or outer casing, within which is arranged a circular shell 2 within which the train of gearing is arranged by which the circuit breaking wheel is driven. The coiled spring 3, giving impulse to the train, is upon a shaft 4, which also carries a disk 5, the latter being provided with notches 6. Upon a bracket 7, which also forms part of the support for the shaft 4:, is fulcrumeda locking-lever 8, which is formed in two parts united by a pivotal connection 9. Between this joint and the fulcrum of the lever a detent-block 10, is mounted upon the lever in such position that it may engage the notches 6 in the disk 5. The arm of the lever carrying this block is normally drawn downward by a spring 12. The other arm of the locking-lever is provided with an opening 14, which receives the end of a releasing-lever 15, arranged substantially at a right angle with the jointed locking-lever and having its pivot 16 supported in a bracket 1'7, which is attached to the frame l8,in which thegearing finds support.

Upon a supporting bracket 19,secu red to the lower, exterior portion of the circular shell 2, is fulcrumed a lever 20, of angular form, somewhat resembling a large bell-crank lever. One arm thereof extends upward, passing through an opening in the shell 2, and curving slightly, passes a little to one side of the releasing lever 15. The other arm extends beneath the shell 2 and is slightly curved upward to pass beneath the electro-magnet 21, secured to the side of the inner casing. Upon the extremity of this arm is mounted an armature 22. On the other arm of this lever, near its upper end, is formed a lug 23, so located that, when the armature 22 is not attracted by the magnet 21, the gravity of the latter will throw this lug directly under the releasing lever l5,where it will lie in a notch, or seat 24:, formed in the lower edge of said lever, the latter being thereby securely locked and its action wholly prevented.

Upon the lever 20, at, or near, its angle, is formed a heel 25, which projects in a direction opposite to that of the arm which carries the armature 22. On the end of this heel is mounted a curved plate 26, which projects toward the front and has its outer end curved downward. Projecting from the bracket sup port 19 is a yoke-shaped frame 27, in the parallel arms of which is mounted a rod, or bar, 28, provided with a conoidal block, or enlargement 29 and a spring 30, coiled upon the rod or bar, and normally pushing the same toward the front. The parts are so arranged that the heel 25 of the lever 20 passes beneath the rod or bar 28 at such a point that the curved plate 26 lies, where the bar is in its normal position, just behind the conoidal enlargement '29 and beneath, but not in operative contact with it. The outer end of the rod or bar 28, projects some distance toward the front, passing through a slot or opening 31, in the inner door, its extremity being so located that, when the outer door is closed, it will enter the lock-casing, as shown in Fig.3, and project therein farenough to be acted upon by the key, when the latter is inserted to unlock the door. By this engagement, the key, upon its insertion, retracts the rod or bar 28, against the tension of the spring 30, and thereby brings the conoidal enlargement 29 against the curved plate 26. This movement depresses the heel 25, tilting the lever 20 upon the fulcrum, and withdraws the lug 23 from its locking engagement with the releasing-lever. At the same time and by the same movement of the lever 20, the armature 22 is raised or brought against, or within the field of magnetic attraction of the electromagnet 21. If the latter is in circuit, the armature will be retained, and the lever 20 will be maintained in position after the door is opened and after the retracting bar 28 is returned by its spring to normal position. Under these conditions, therefore, the releasing lever may be operated and the signal will be transmitted. On the other hand, if the magnet 21 is not in circuit, no attraction will be exerted upon the armature 22 and the lever 20 will resume its normal position the instant the door is drawn open, the gravity of its armature being more than sufficient to effect this result and again bring the lug 23 into locking engagement with the releasing lever. Thus the operative release of the lever 15 will be effected by the insertion of the key and maintained by the energy of the magnet 21.

In applying our invention to boxes which are already in service, and in which the non interfering magnet M is already present, the upper rearwardly bent end of the angular lever 20 will be thrown against the armature lever L., when the key is inserted, and will thereby swing the armature into the field of attraction of the magnet M. If this magnet is in circuit, the armature will be retainedin such position that the lower end of the lever L will lie immediately over a stud 9 on the free end of the jointed lever 8. The box may now be pulled, but if the magnet M is not in circuit, the armature on said lever L will not be attracted and held by the magnet M, and therefore the spring of the armature lever L will at once restore it to the inoperative position, in which the end of the lever L not being over the stud 9, on the free end of the jointed lever 8, pulling the releasing lever 15 will merely lift the free end of said jointed lever, without afiecting the other part which carries the detent-block 10. If the line is not in use, the magnet M will be supplied with current, which is shunted into its coils by means so familiar as to require no description, the same being well known to those skilled in the art, one type of such apparatus being shown in Letters Patent No. 434,922, granted to W. E. Decrow, August 26, 1890.

In applying the invention to boxes in process of manufacture, the non-interference magnet M and its armature lever, may be entirely omitted, its functions being discharged by the magnet which strikes the hell, or by any other magnet in the same circuit, acting upon the armature 22.

The arrangement described overcomes serious difficulties which have been encountered heretofore by reason of the polarization of the magnet M, or through the armature sticking. In our invention the armature is normally out of the magnetic field, and is brought into operative relations with the lever 8 by positive mechanical means, upon the insertion of the key in the door. The circuit connections, however, will not be materially disturbed, since the magnet 21, will be simply connected in the same branch from which the non-interference magnet is removed. As these boxes are usually organized to work upon a normally closed circuit, it will be readily understood that when one box is in use, all others upon the same circuit are automatioally cut out. The means by which this is efiected and the details of the mechanism within the box casing are so familiar as to require no explanation.

When a rigid lever is substituted in place of the jointed locking-lever, the rearwardly bent portion 32 of the lever 20 may be dispensed with. It is provided mainly in those cases where our invention is applied to signal boxes now in service, in which the minimum alteration and substitution of parts is desirable. It should be noted that the only change required is the addition of the support for the lever 20 and the retraction bar 28.

Although we have shown the invention applied to boxes in which the non-interference magnet is present, it should be understood that this magnet will be used only in those cases where our invention is applied to boxes already in use, in which said magnets are already inserted. Nhen the boxes are manufactured hereafter, with our invention embodied therein the non interference magnet may be omitted thereby securing an impor- .tant economy in the manufacture of apparatus of this type, as well as an increased simplicity which materially promotes the eff ciency and durability of the mechanism.

The invention is applicable to almost any form of signal box, whether upon fire alarm or police signal circuits, and it is not material whether the mechanism correspondswith, or differs from, that shown in the present instance, which is used for purposes of illus tration, and not as a matter of limitation.

What we claim is 1. In a signal box, the combination with the releasing lever of the signal transmitting mechanism, a locking device normally engaging the releasing lever, and means operated by the sliding movement of a key upon its insertion in the door for unlocking said lever, substantially as described.

2. In a signal box the combination with the releasing lever of the signal transmitting mechanism and with means for locking the same, of a retracting device and a spring acting thereon to cause it to enter the lock casing and lie in the path of the key of the door when the latter is inserted, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a signal box the combination with the releasing lover of the signal transmitting mechanism, and with means for locking the same, of a retracting device having one end normally lying in the lock-casing in the path of the key of the door, and electrically'operated means for maintaining the position to which said device is moved, substantially as described.

4:. In a signal box, the combination with a releasing lever engaging the signal transmit? ting mechanism and with means for locking said releasing lover, of a retracting bar adapted to withdraw said locking means, the end of said bar lying normally in the path and operated by the sliding movement of the key of the door while being inserted, substantially as described.

5. In a signal box, the combination with a lever to lock the signal transmitting mechanism, of a releasing lever, an angular lever having a lug on one arm to lie beneath the releasing lever and an armature on the other arm arranged to lie beneath an electro-magnet, and a retracting bar, the end of which lies in the lock-casing in the path of the key, substantially as described.

6. In a signal box, the combination with the signal transmitting mechanism, of a lever locking the same, a releasing lever, an angular lever having a lug adapted to lock the releasing lever, and a retracting bar thrown forward by a spring to bring its endinto the lock-casing and provided with a conoidal enlargement adapted to act on a heel on the angular lever, substantially as described.

7. In a signal box, the combination with the signal transmitting mechanism, of a lever locking the same, a releasing lever, an angular lever having a lug on one arm adapted to lie normally beneath and to lock the releasing lever, an electromagnet adapted IIO projected retracting bar having 'a conoidal enlargement to act, when said bar is pushed IS in by the key, upon a heel on the angular lever, the latter having a rearwardly bent extremity overlying the jointed locking lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afifix our signa- 2o tures in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE EDWARD PAYNTER. WILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON. Witnesses:

PERCY G. MINOR, HENRY O. SHEPPARD. 

